Muscles in high hip and across buttocks freeze when I walk

Posted by kmintx @kmintx, Apr 27, 2016

I have a problem with my buttocks / hip muscles that no one has been able to identify for over ten years. I'm really exhausted from it - and had 3 back surgeries (even a lumbar 360) but to no avail. I'm female, a young 70 years old and honestly believe no one in the medical field has really listened or heard what I have to say. When I walk very far - say 1/2 block, my muscles in hips and buttocks begin to cramp so badly it brings me to a halt. I then have to wait at least 30-60 seconds to resume. I have read about intermittent claudication and it sure sounds like exactly what I have but the doctors and surgeons say no - not an artery or vein issue. But apparently, not a bone issue either. It IS an issue of one sort or another or I wouldn't be hurting.
Has anyone had this and what have you discovered to be the cause? I cannot walk for exercise. My right calf is very large due to venous insufficiency. Appreciate any reply.

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@annagrace2017

I am a young 69 year old female, and I have the very same problem. I had back surgery two years ago and knee surgery 4 months ago. I had this issue right after back surgery, but after physical therapy, it got better. I have tried to walk recently, and the issues have returned. I could not walk during the summer due to the horrible weather. I have put on weight, and I wonder if that is the problem? This is totally new to me, and I have been physically active all my life.

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Welcome to Connect, @annagrace2017. Have you considered returning to physical therapy? Might water exercise be an option for you?

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@colleenyoung

Welcome to Connect, @annagrace2017. Have you considered returning to physical therapy? Might water exercise be an option for you?

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Yes. In fact, I was starting a routine where I did my physical therapy, and I had to stop so a stress test and a doppler of my legs were done. Those came back ok, so I am returning this week to exercise using the machines to help build strength in my lower body. I agree, water physical therapy is a great way to exercise, too, and I hope to get into that very soon, too. I stay so busy that I need to say no to some things and do more for myself.

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I have this problem as well. my glutel muscles tighten as I walk. I have to stretch them along the way. No PT has helped. I've gotten 4 tenomomies, gone to three physical therapists, tens, ultrasound, dry needle therapy. Pain shots medial raido frequency nerve emblazons.. nothing helped. Now I joined a gym to hope help. The hydro massage therapy chair helps relieve the pain but so far only temporary.

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@lesaboo

I have this problem as well. my glutel muscles tighten as I walk. I have to stretch them along the way. No PT has helped. I've gotten 4 tenomomies, gone to three physical therapists, tens, ultrasound, dry needle therapy. Pain shots medial raido frequency nerve emblazons.. nothing helped. Now I joined a gym to hope help. The hydro massage therapy chair helps relieve the pain but so far only temporary.

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I have the same thing after surgery on my lower. Back l4 not they say I'm have myself muscle spasms I try all meds nothing help I'm sure its something else will not give pain med because all the news going about them

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I've taken the liberty to do my own physical therapy since I know my body better than anyone. I've been stretching every muscle I can everyday by watching DVDs I rented from the library for people over 50. I also watch a variety of videos on YouTube. One thing i recently learned by watching two chiropractors video is to do compressions on the trigger points aka as knots aka as adhesions on the painful gluteal or hip flexor muscles. Using a small ball..tennis ball or hard foam for example. I lie down and place the ball under my glut and apply pressure.. at first it hurt a lot.im doing it at least once a day. Not sure if helping due to the fact ive been doing strength exersizes as well, pilates ...im.going to my first chiropractor visit today to discuss all this. I'll be back

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@lesaboo

I've taken the liberty to do my own physical therapy since I know my body better than anyone. I've been stretching every muscle I can everyday by watching DVDs I rented from the library for people over 50. I also watch a variety of videos on YouTube. One thing i recently learned by watching two chiropractors video is to do compressions on the trigger points aka as knots aka as adhesions on the painful gluteal or hip flexor muscles. Using a small ball..tennis ball or hard foam for example. I lie down and place the ball under my glut and apply pressure.. at first it hurt a lot.im doing it at least once a day. Not sure if helping due to the fact ive been doing strength exersizes as well, pilates ...im.going to my first chiropractor visit today to discuss all this. I'll be back

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@lesaboo Glad to hear you are proactive we our are own advocate,s we know our bodiy better I have used a chiropractor all my life as the brain and backbone spinal cord nerves come from these two areas. I also use a TENS unit the chiro. showed me how to use it . This relaxes the muscles. then you can exercise better its harder to do with tight muscles. This has been my experience .Good luck

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@lioness

@lesaboo Glad to hear you are proactive we our are own advocate,s we know our bodiy better I have used a chiropractor all my life as the brain and backbone spinal cord nerves come from these two areas. I also use a TENS unit the chiro. showed me how to use it . This relaxes the muscles. then you can exercise better its harder to do with tight muscles. This has been my experience .Good luck

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Yeah I understand that but the pain it hurts when I walk are just standing there and my legs get weak because the pain is in the upper part of my ass excuse my French but it wasn't there before the surgery exercise tens units I protect my retirement does not work ice packs help a little bit until it cools off I go to the doctor he goes us just muscle spasms I think he's crazy I think my primary care doctor is crazy and I've had her for 20 years also get unexplained dizzy spells when I lay down and then our turn for one side the other side I get dizzy standing up I get dizzy I went to my primary care doctor about that she says it's my equilibrium vertigo no I don't think that's what it is but my wife says she's going to take me to the ER and see what their they say me time on the make appointment to cardiologist and I muscle doctor this is really kind of freaking me out I can't even work I'm a truck driver just walking to my mailbox to my pick up it's very trying thank you for your input I really appreciate that also no did they get really greedy with pain pills and they say there's alternative I tried all the turn it is ibuprofen and such to no avail and they will not give me an opiate for some unknown reason that I'm going to kill myself or something with it I think my health is between me and my doctor not the government in the government is watched restricting the doctor for helping somebody who is in chronic pain and I'm not going to smoke marijuana we don't get along smoke it it makes me sick and I throw up same thing with a marijuana brownie some say I must be allergic to THC even as a teenager smoking it with my friends I felt the same way nauseous and for some reason they can go on without a Beat

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@lesmc

Yeah I understand that but the pain it hurts when I walk are just standing there and my legs get weak because the pain is in the upper part of my ass excuse my French but it wasn't there before the surgery exercise tens units I protect my retirement does not work ice packs help a little bit until it cools off I go to the doctor he goes us just muscle spasms I think he's crazy I think my primary care doctor is crazy and I've had her for 20 years also get unexplained dizzy spells when I lay down and then our turn for one side the other side I get dizzy standing up I get dizzy I went to my primary care doctor about that she says it's my equilibrium vertigo no I don't think that's what it is but my wife says she's going to take me to the ER and see what their they say me time on the make appointment to cardiologist and I muscle doctor this is really kind of freaking me out I can't even work I'm a truck driver just walking to my mailbox to my pick up it's very trying thank you for your input I really appreciate that also no did they get really greedy with pain pills and they say there's alternative I tried all the turn it is ibuprofen and such to no avail and they will not give me an opiate for some unknown reason that I'm going to kill myself or something with it I think my health is between me and my doctor not the government in the government is watched restricting the doctor for helping somebody who is in chronic pain and I'm not going to smoke marijuana we don't get along smoke it it makes me sick and I throw up same thing with a marijuana brownie some say I must be allergic to THC even as a teenager smoking it with my friends I felt the same way nauseous and for some reason they can go on without a Beat

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@lesmc Sorry your hurting but I can certainly understand My lower back is a wreck My sciatica has been acting up legs weak can't walk far behind my knee I had an extremely tight muscle I just so happens to be in therapy so she rubbed the muscle to relax it hurt like he'll but since I've been using ice on it ,even slept with it and tens unit ,took about a week but much better I will make an appointment with my chiropractor to relieve the sciatica nerve .Chiropractor has always helped me have you tried one? Might help you just a suggestion I've had dizzy spells and losing my balance Dr suggested ear exercises ,Google them also my neck will cause it when I look up

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@kmintx

Actually, the doctors all seem to have no real answer. Or saying spinal stenosis can cause this - and I have had spinal stenosis - however, I've had a lumbar 360 - followed 2 yrs. later by surgery on the L3-L4 ---- (during which they removed some of the pedicle screws from first surgery.) I have had sonograms of my legs with the diagnosis of venous insufficiency in left leg. It retains a lot of fluid. But I feel they are only doing the sonograms on my legs and my pain is up in the buttocks areas. How, rather where would they test for claudication affecting the buttocks? Yes, I've been to several physical therapists over the ten years but none of them have been able to help me. It's not just tight muscles as one doctor recently suggested - as I've had therapists to put me through so many stretching exercises without any help. I do have a recent RX for stretching those muscles again - and doing water aerobics - probably due to my spinal surgery still being fairly new. (3 months) Thank you for helping me with this. Your words make me wonder about my blood not carrying enough oxygen to the buttocks area. How would they check that? By the way, I have an appt. with a rheumatologist next month.

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Hi, I don’t know if you found the answer to your problem. If not I’ve had that same pain on my right hip and right butt. I’ve been through many MRI, XRay and I even had my plasma takin out of my blood n injected back into me. Finally when the plasma didnt work I went back to the orthopedic surgeon and saw his assessment. He crossed my right leg over the left leg n put just a little pressure n I about went to the ceiling. He said he thought I tore my Labrum sent me out for another mri but this time with dye. Sure a shit the Labrum was tore. Finally after 1yr I had surgery to repair it, however since I was walking on it so much I wore down my leg socked n will need surgery at some point need to replaced it. I’m thinking you have a torn labrum if your still dealing with unbearable pain at time am I not correct. It will become very painful if you: sit to long, walk to much, carrying in groceries, going upstairs, going up hills, crossing your leg over, can’t do any leg exercises at gym, and heat on it feels the best does this sound like you?

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Hi, have you found out what the cause is? I am a somewhat younger (57) male, and both my hips on the outside/inside top of the buttocks "freeze" when I walk - typically, when it starts I literally have to stand around for a while & then I can go on slowly. X-rays of hips are perfectly normal, no operations of lower back, legs are equal length. Funny thing is it comes and goes - sometimes my hips are fine, other days they are not. Which makes me think it could be some or other autoimmune disease that "flares" - problem is no other symptoms/culprits that lead the way. And anti inflammatories do not help either. Very weird (And frustrating!)

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